NBA Draft 2014: Rob Hennigan dishes on Orlando Magic's process

With about 34 hours remaining until the start of the 2014 NBA Draft, Rob Hennigan took met with the media at Amway Center. The Orlando Magic's general manager couldn't guess how many man-hours over the last year his staff has devoted to preparing for Thursday's event, but he did emphasize his scouts work full-time, not part-time.

Orlando is currently slated to pick fourth and 12th overall, but Hennigan indicated his team could move those selections in the right transaction.

"I think there's a possibility that we could select at 4 and 12," said Hennigan. "I think there's also a possibility that some or both of those picks could be in play. Our job over the next however many hours until the draft is to prioritize what we feel is the best opportunity for us and then try to go ahead and capitalize on that."

Ultimately, the Magic appear to be open for business. "We're open to anything," said Hennigan. "I think we have to be. We have to be opportunistic and flexible and creative and aggressive, if need be."

The media peppered Hennigan with several questions regarding Kansas center prospect Joel Embiid, the presumptive number-one pick until a fractured bone in his right foot raised questions about his durability and NBA-readiness. Hennigan dodged all such questions.

For example, when asked specifically about whether he had acquired Embiid's medical report, Hennigan offered this response:

I'm not gonna comment on what information we have, but I will say we do have information, and we're analyzing it, and we'll continue to look to gather more information leading to tomorrow night.

He offered a more succinct response to a general question regarding his philosophy about selecting injured players. "Depends," Hennigan said. When asked to elaborate on that response, Hennigan said, "depends on a lot of factors."

Hennigan also evaded questions regarding players currently on the Magic's roster--including Arron Afflalo, widely rumored to be a trade chip--but he did say "our players have value around the league."

But enough about what Hennigan did not say. Here's some of what he let slip Wednesday morning.

• The team feels it has enough information about Australian point guard Dante Exum to feel comfortable selecting him.

• Approximately "a dozen or so" people, including coach Jacque Vaughn, will have some level of input in Orlando's decision-making Thursday night.

  "Jacque and I are very much aligned in what our goals are, what our vision is, and what our objectives are," said Hennigan. "He probably has more say than I do."

• The Draft results will help clarify the futures of some Magic players whose contracts are either unguaranteed or only partially guaranteed.

  "I think everything's connected," said Hennigan. "The way we try to make decisions, one should lead to the next should lead to the next should lead to the next. It's sort of on a domino type of system."

  Among key Magic players whose futures the Draft's results may impact: starting point guard Jameer Nelson (partial guarantee), starting power forward Kyle O'Quinn (non-guaranteed), and reserve combo guard E'Twaun Moore (qualifying offer).

• The Magic have yet to make any hires for the Erie BayHawks, their new NBA D-League affiliate over whose basketball operations they have sole control.

  "That process is moving along... I don't want to say 'at a snail's pace,' but it's moving slowly," Hennigan said. "Once we get through the Draft, we'll start to accelerate that a little bit."

  Hennigan hopes to have "more definition" in the BayHawks' staff by the end of July.

The NBA Draft is set for June 26th at 8 PM Eastern.